Weighing attachment for ice-boxes.



I No. 850.1%...

' PATENTED APRQl-G, 1907 N. s. MERGER. I WEIGHING ATTAGHMENTFOR IGE-BOXES.

APPLICATION TILED IDEO. 10. 1906 rrlns cm, Lnsinnormv n c NELSON S. MERCER, O'F OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

WEIGHING ATTACHMENT FOR ICE-BOXES.

No. 850,169. A

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 16, 1907.

Application filed December 10,1906. Serial No. 347,080.

economica in construction and effective for the purposes designed.

The invention contemplates the use of ro ds', gearing, scales, and their bearings, secured upon and within the receptacle, and preferably in the framework of the box, in a manner to be unobtrusive for the purpose of indicating the amount of unconsumed ice at any time, but more particularly for the purpose of weighing ice at the time it is purchased and placed in the box.

The invention also has reference to means for terminating the strain or tension of the springs of the scale to preserve their accu racy.

The devices and means employed are fully described herein, and shown in the drawin s, and the novel construction is pointed out by the claims. 1

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical front view of an ice-box containing my invention, parts of the frame being broken away to show certain devices. Fig. 2 is a side view indicating the upper part of the ice-box shown in Fig. 1, art y in section and broken away, the door the be): being open. Fig. 3 is a plan view of an ice-boX with broken-aim arts and artly in section in-- Y F P tended as a p anview of Fig. 2. Fig. 4; is a broken-away and partly-sectioned figure, in-

tended to show position of parts when the door is closed, tobe considered in connection with Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is afragmentary detail relating to Fig. l; and Fig. 6 is a view of shaft 37 and lugs 38 and 39 formed thereon.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates an ordinary ice-box having the usual upper receptacle 2 for storage of ice and a lower receptacle 3, the box being provided with swinging doors 4 and 5, each provided withhinges 6.

The numerals 7 and 8 indicate the usual outer and inner casings of the side or back Walls of the box, the space or compartments therebetween being usually filled with nonconductive packing, and it is not necessary to vary this ordinary construction eXce t to use a small portion of this space, as wil be shown.

A horizontally-extending recess 9 is formed in the rear of the upper receptacle by terminating interior casing 8 at points vertically adjacent and supplying transverse strips 10 and 11, these strips being secured in any convenient manner between the terminals of the casings and the outer casing 7, the transverse casing 11 being apertured at 12. I employ a platform 13 of a less width than the space between the inner casings and of af length sufficient to traverse recess 9 and to extend forwardly within and near the front of the upper receptacle, this platform being positioned transversely to the casings, and employ a knife-edge fulcrum 14, sustained in any convenient manner, as upon bracket 15, the latter being secured upon casing 8 below recess 9, the fulcrum preferably of a length equal to the width of platform 13, so that the platform may be sustained near its rear end and provide a weight 15, connected by link 16, having the head 17, to the rear end of platform 13, this weight preferably extending the width of the platform.

Upon the front of the platform and extending outwardly toward each side of the ice-box from the sides of said platform are horizontally-disposed arms 18, Figs. 1, 2, upon which are pivotally seated vertical links 19. Near the front of the ice-box and below its crown is located a rotatable and visible index-wheel 20. The outer ends 21 of the rotatable and horizontally-disposed registering-rod 22 are pivotally supported in bearings 23, these bearings being secured in any convenient manner upon the surface of the outer casings, it being understood that wheel is a part of or is secured upon the registering-rod 22. Upon the ends of registering-rod 22 closely adjacent to bearings 23,

but between said bearings and wheel 20, are rigidly secured transverse arms 24-. The upper end of links 19 furnish apivotal mounting for one end of pins 26, the opposite ends of these pins being rigidly secured to the outer ends of arms 24, and by this arrangement it will be understood that a lengthwise movement of links 19 will cause a revolving movement of wheel 20. Spiral springs 28 havetheir upper ends sustained upon arms 25, secured rigidly upon the inner casing of the IIO box, Fig. 2, the lower end of said springs being pivotally seated at 27 in links 19, these links being thereby resiliently mounted and the springs being actuated by these links.

I employ the ice rack or plate 29, preferably having a less length and width than platform '13, disposed parallel with the lat ter, and at its center area support it upon block 30, this block being stationary and rigidly secured to both the ice-rack and plat form. Fulcrum 14 and weight 15 are ad j usted in a well-known manner, so that there will be an exact equipoise between the weight of all metal parts, including ice-rack 29 and the long portion of platform 13 and weight 15, and the parts may be constructed so that they have a very inconsiderable weight comparatively, to the end that weight 15 may occup y but limited wall-space.

It will be understood from the description that platform 13 is adaptedto have a slight swinging movement upon the fulcrum 14,

and upon placing ice 31 upon rack or plate 29 the weight thereof is sustained centrally upon block of platform 13, and by refer ence to Fig. 1 it is plain that springs 28 and cooperating parts are actuated in a manner to cause a rotative movement of the registering-rod 22 and of the wheel or index 20, upon the latter being indicated the weight of ice. Numerals upon the periphery of wheel 20 indicate the weight as the numerals pass the stationary line as 00, Fig. 5, upon the transparent plate B upon the outer surface A of the icebox.

In order that springs 28 may not become weakened from constant strain, I construct devices now to be explained, the object being to terminate the strain or tension of the springs while the door is closed or entirely open, and therefore I provide the verticallydisposed pintle 32 upon the door 4 of the upper receptacle, secured upon the door-hinges in a manner to impart to it a degree of rotation. corresponding to the swing of said door,

this being substantially one hundred and eighty degrees. Transversely upon rod or pintle 32 is secured the pinion or gear 33, and secured upon the casing of the box in any convenient manner is the horizontally-disposed shaft 34, seated in suitable bearings 35 and 36 and having pinion 37 upon its outer end, forming a miter-gear with pinion 33.

I em loy a horizontally-disposed operating-sha t 37, (best shown in Flgs. 3 and 6,) sultably. journaled within the upper recep tacle parallel with and below the plane of platform 13. This shaft is provided with ugs 38 and 39 upon its periphery and located substantially one hundred and eighty degrees apart, Fig. 6. The shaft is disposed beneath the platform and sufiiciently near thereto so that the lugs when shaft 37 is re volved may engage said latform and is pro vided with a pinion 40, liaving a miter-gear connection with pinion 41 of shaft 34:, and from the description it Will be understood that when the door of the upper receptacle is partly open, shown in Figs. 2 or 3, lugs 33 and 39 are horizontal and are not in engagement with platform 13. The weight of ice at this time is sustained by springs 28, and index-wheel 20 will indicate the weight of ice in the box. If the door is now closed, as shown in Fig. 4, lugs 38 and 39 will be revolved ninety degrees to a vertical position, the result being that lug 38 is revolved upward and platform 13 is raised, thereby terminating the tension of springs 28, and, as is evident,.if the door from its closed positionis fully opened or revolved substantially one hundred and eighty degrees lug 39 will engage and raise the platform, and thereby relieve the tension of springs 28. It is desirable, of course, to allow the springs to be in tension only while weighing the ice, as a constant or long-continued strain would impair their accuracy.

In operation when placing ice within the box door 4 is opened to its fullest extent, thereby causing the platform to be sustained and relieving the weighing devices from un- The platform and ice-rack should be constructed of metal, so they will not absorb moisture from melting ice. The usual water-tray or metal lining for the bottom of the upper receptacle is not shown in the drawings; but the parts employed by the invention do not prevent their use, and there is no objection to forming both platform 13 and rack 29 as grates, remembering, of course, that block 30 should be sustained upon the platform in a manner so that the weight of ice will be delivered centrally, as already described.

I have shown two pairs of lugs upon their shaft 37; but of course one pair would be effective, and it is considered that various minor details could be changed without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claim as my' invention is 1. Weighing attachments as described, in combination with an ice-receptacle having a swinging door, weighing means secured to the ice-receptacle, and means operated by said swinging door to terminate the operation of said, weighing means upon closing said door.

2. Weighing attachments as described, in

combination with-an ice-receptacle having a' I 4. In combination, weighing attachments for an ice-receptacle having a swinging door; of weighing means, comprising a weight-1ndicating member, a balanced platform within sald 1ce-receptacle and a resilient member having a connection with said wei ht-indieating member and said balanced p atform; means operated by the swinging door of the ice-receptacle to cause a movement of said balanced platform upon opening said swinging door to terminate the operation ofsaid weighing means.

In testimony whereof I have a'ilixed my signature in presence of two witnesses. NELSON S. MERCER.

Witnesses:

HIRAM A. STURGEs, GEORGE D. GRovEs. 

